Oregon to Vote on Marijuana Legalization

Oregon to Vote on Marijuana Legalization

An Oregon initiative that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana has qualified for the November ballot, placing the state alongside Colorado and Washington in voting on the issue this year, Baptist Press reports. Although 17 states have legalized medicinal marijuana, no states currently allow its recreational use. The initiatives in Oregon, Colorado and Washington state would legalize and regulate marijuana in a similar manner to alcohol. In 2010, California voters rejected a similar proposal, 54 to 46 percent. Opponents said legalizing marijuana would lead to an increase in drugged drivers and road deaths, an uptick in marijuana's use among teens and young adults, and an increase in crime statewide. They also said the black market for marijuana would not disappear, as some supporters contended. The Oregon initiative, which will be known as Initiative 9, is likely to face opposition from law enforcement, according to The Oregonian newspaper.